A report from the New York Times seems to confirm previous rumors that Facebook is very serious about creating a Facebook-branded phone. The report also reveals additional details. Apparently, Facebook hired over half a dozen different software and hardware engineers from Apple to help them build this phone. The report suggests that Facebook will likely use a base core of Android, but will heavily modify it (similar to what Amazon did with the Kindle Fire), and will focus the phone around a Facebook theme. Facebook even recently opened up their own Android App store called App Center.

Previously we reported on rumors that Facebook may partner up with HTC in order to get the hardware launched. The source of this article suggests that Facebook intends to launch the phone before or around the beginning of next year. Investors have been wondering how Facebook will further monetize their service to generate revenue and profit. This could be a smart option for the social media giant.

Hey, maybe this phone will be a very high-end phone with an unlocked bootloader and a superb dev-friendly phone so after acquiring it you can completely get rid of all the FB crap and have a vanilla android experience or have CyanogenMod and all will be well again in the Android ecosystem! Whew! That was a mouthfull.

Hey, maybe this phone will be a very high-end phone with an unlocked bootloader and a superb dev-friendly phone so after acquiring it you can completely get rid of all the FB crap and have a vanilla android experience or have CyanogenMod and all will be well again in the Android ecosystem! Whew! That was a mouthfull.

Sent from my 3rd reincarnation of the ever-so-lovable Droid

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They hired Apple engineers. Expect it to be locked down. Lol. And I fully expect this to not be high-end. Probably a low end to average phone. The people who want Facebook phones aren't exactly techies.

They hired Apple engineers. Expect it to be locked down. Lol. And I fully expect this to not be high-end. Probably a low end to average phone. The people who want Facebook phones aren't exactly techies.

Actually its a brilliant idea. They have not been able to monetize via their FB app/ mobile platform. They are partnering with Opera so this will enable them to push those ads via the mobile browser. No more FB app on their phone. Smart move in my opinion.

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